


Raising Her Spirits

by EasilyDistractedJedi



Category: Ghostbusters (Movies 1984-1989), The Real Ghostbusters
Genre: Awkward Flirting, Driving, F/M, First Dates, Friendship/Love, Love Confessions, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-04
Updated: 2020-04-04
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:34:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23483914
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EasilyDistractedJedi/pseuds/EasilyDistractedJedi
Summary: Egon struggles to realize Janine has feelings for him, and with the encouragement of Peter, Ray and Winston, he makes a move to show her his appreciation.A Real Ghostbusters flash fic inspired by the AO3 stories by Luvbusters-thank you for being such an awesome writer, and for writing about one of my fave fan fic couples! :3
Relationships: Janine Melnitz/Egon Spengler
Comments: 6
Kudos: 14





	Raising Her Spirits

Janine heard his footfall as he walked downstairs to the reception area of the firehouse. She raised an eyebrow at the bespectacled Ghostbuster, who was too busy with an armful of a ghost trap to notice her seductive stare. Just before he could turn the corner to join the guys in the kitchen, she called:

“Hey, Spengs! Whatcha got there?!”

Egon Spengler nearly dropped the trap on the floor, and gasped, startled. “Janine, please!” he snapped coldly. “That ghost was a Class Five! Had I let it loose it would’ve destroyed the firehouse!”

“Okay, okay, sheesh,” Janine rolled her eyes, shaking her head. Her grin faded at his angry glare.

“I have to get this to Ray,” Egon mumbled, taking a quieter tone on seeing her dejected face.

“Yeah, whatever,” Janine swiveled around in her chair and began to type noisily on the computer.

Egon sighed, and hoisted the trap carefully before leaving Janine’s desk for the kitchen. 

“How’s it goin’, big guy?!” Peter teased as Egon set the trap on the table. He sipped some coffee, his smirk very smug at Egon’s failed attempt at sensing Janine’s mood. 

“I’m busy, Peter,” Egon hissed, trying to make sure the trap wouldn’t deactivate. He began to fiddle with some dials and switches more out of anxious habit than serious work—everyone knew he did real work in the lab upstairs, out of sight. 

“Sure you are,” Peter went on, sitting down next to Egon. Ray and Winston joined them, having just unpacked the Ecto-1. 

“Hey Spengs, hey Peter!” Ray smiled. Winston unzipped his jumpsuit, and grinned at the group. 

“Hey Ray,” Peter and Egon mumbled at once. 

“Nobody called a jinx!” Ray teased. “I’m disappointed.”

Winston sighed, squeezed Egon’s shoulder. “You oughta relax, Spengs! It’s the weekend!”

Egon stared at his colleagues seriously. “Ghostbusting doesn’t take time off, you all know that.”

“Pfft!” Peter slapped the table hard, leaned back and grabbed a slice of pizza off the counter. “Spengs, come on. Just cause you blew off Janine again doesn’t mean it’s not worth another try!”  
The guys stared at Egon, who began to fiddle with the trap even more. Egon blushed fiercely, and was mute.

“Don’t give him such a hard time, Dr. V,” Janine overheard, dropping off her empty coffee mug and some paperwork. “Dr. Spengler is the hardest working one out of all of you, y’know! He’ll probably save the world one day!”

The guys laughed at that. Egon was silent, hyperfocused on the trap. 

“I’ll see you around…I’ve gotta get back to my place,” Janine looked at Egon one more time, trying to see if he would take the bait.

He completely ignored her cue. Miffed, Janine gathered up her things at her desk and walked out of the firehouse in a hurry.

“Spengs, the hell!” Peter chided him. Ray blinked rapidly and puffed air between his lips, then decided to walk over to the arcade games. Winston joined him, not willing to hear yet another fight between the two men.

Egon looked up at last, startled. “Did Janine leave for the day? Her shift’s not even done!”

“Hello??” Peter spread his arms wide, then folded them on his chest. “Earth to Spengler, of course she left! She’s got better things to do than wait for you to come around!”

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” Egon snarled. 

“Iggy, she obviously wants to spend time with you, but all you do is ignore her!” Peter shook his head.

“Well…what am I supposed to do?” Egon sighed. “We just finished a big bust, and I had to make sure this trap wouldn’t reset!”

“Spengs, Janine has been trying to talk to you for weeks!” Peter blurted angrily. “All you do is hole yourself up in your lab or avoid her like the plague!”

“We just had one of those!” Egon shot back, blushing in frustration. “Besides, I’m not one for small talk, you know that, Peter!”

“You gotta try!” Peter sighed, sitting next to him now. “One day she’s gonna walk out on you for good. She won’t come back if you don’t give her a reason to stay.”

“She is getting paid,” Egon pointed out. Peter sighed and buried his face in his hands in frustration.

“Besides that!” Peter nearly yelled through his palms. “Besides that, okay?” he repeated, taking in a deep breath to quell his anger.

“You mean…she…likes me?” Egon mumbled quietly. He stared at the floor.

“Duh!” Peter groaned, shaking his shoulder gently. “Janine has the worst crush on you, and you won’t even say hello half the time! It’s like she’s the ghost around here!”

“She’s…got a crush on…me?!” Egon was truly flabbergasted. Winston and Ray poked their heads around the corner. 

“Given her body language, her obvious attempts at flirting, and her willingness to come close to you when she doesn’t do this with the rest of us…I’d say yes,” Ray interjected. 

“Oh…!” Egon began to realize what had happened. He suddenly stood, drew himself up tall. “I should go find her!...shouldn’t I?”

The guys sighed, laughing and shaking their heads at him. 

“Here, take the Ecto-1,” Winston tossed him the keys. “Janine wouldn’t mind a joyride!” he added, winking. Egon blushed some more, and fumbled the keys.

“But what if she doesn’t need a ride?” Egon wondered. The guys groaned, and ushered him to the car.

“Just go get her, Spengs,” Peter opened the driver’s side door, waving an arm for him to sit as if he were a valet.  
***  
Egon drove toward Janine’s apartment. The streets had been cleared for weeks, given the quarantine orders had been lifted at last a few days ago, and the lack of usual mid-day traffic deeply bothered him. He saw her walking alone and merged wildly, pulling up alongside her.

“Egon!” Janine wondered, and stopped walking. Egon made sure it was safe to stop, and did so, throwing on his hazards and the siren. “Egon, the siren!” Janine yelled.

“Huh!” Egon wondered. People began to flee, screaming about ghosts haunting an apartment complex nearby, or perhaps luring people to the sewers below. “Oh, oops!” he shut off the siren, and gave an awkward smile to Janine. He leaned over, and pushed open the passenger’s side door. “Get in!”

“My place is only two blocks away!” Janine laughed as she got in anyway.

“Well, I don’t mind being an escort!” Egon grinned. Janine laughed raucously at the double entendre. He blushed at realizing the double meaning. 

“I bet you don’t, huh!” Janine squealed as he drove like a maniac down the street to her apartment. 

“Well, we are here,” Egon parked the Ecto-1. Janine smiled at him, blushing now. 

“Thanks, big guy,” she planted a soft kiss on his cheek. 

She then got out and was about to walk up when Egon rushed out and ran to her, stopping her. “Janine, wait!”

“What?” Janine put her hands on her hips, staring up at the stern scientist coyly.

“Well…I…uh,” Egon swallowed, very nervous. “I…want to walk you up.”

“Sure!” Janine smiled, a hint of mischief in her eyes. 

Egon offered his arm, and she took it. He led her up to her apartment, made sure she arrived at her door safely.

“You wanna come in for a bit?” Janine bit her lip, staring at him, hoping he would catch her meaning.

“Oh…!” Egon grinned, blushing hotly. “Oh, uh…uh…sure!” he grunted, and Janine watched him enter her place, then shut the door behind them. 

“Make yourself at home, Spengs!” Janine tossed her heels into the corner, and Egon couldn’t help but stare at her curves for a moment as she moved around into her small kitchen. 

Egon removed his shoes, carefully setting them beside her heels. He then set her heels in a proper position, making sure they were aligned with his shoes neatly before walking over to her couch. He sat down, sinking into the soft cushions, and grunted, fixing the pillows. Janine watched him, fascinated.

“You always a neat freak, doc?” she teased in a sultry voice, wandering over to him. 

“I try,” Egon smiled now, picking up on the scent of fresh coffee. Janine offered him a plate with a bagel and cream cheese on it.

“You want some?” she asked softly, taking a bite.

“No thanks,” Egon politely declined, leaning a little away from her as she sat next to him. He stared at her legs, then up to her chest and face, and Janine kept eating, noting his glances. 

“You like what you see, Dr. Spengler?” she flirted, chewing loudly. 

“Yes,” Egon quickly replied. Janine chortled. “I mean…you look…nice today!”

Janine leaned back into the couch cushions, drinking her coffee. She admired the dear doctor, wondered what went on in his head half the time. “Thanks,” she sipped her coffee, enjoyed his staring and assessing.

“So…I came up here…to tell you something.” He fidgeted with his tie and sleeves absentmindedly, the feeling of the silk smoothing on his fingertips. He suddenly thought of Janine in a silk and lace teddy, and blushed at the intrusive thought. 

“Oh!” Janine feigned surprise, having finished her coffee and bagel. She leaned in a little closer to Egon, smiling shyly. “And…what is that something, doc?”

“I…I know that…you have feelings for me,” Egon began, trying to think clearly. He could see her cleavage and blushed even more. 

“I do,” Janine admitted. She positioned herself even closer to him, nearly sitting on his lap. Egon twitched and smiled instinctively, feeling his bulge begin to rise slightly. “The question is…well. Do you have feelings for me, too?”

The question hung in the air for a while, the tension between the two of them making the room feel very small and their bodies very close. 

Egon suddenly found himself placing his hands on her hips, running them up to her shoulders slowly. Janine let out a shivery sigh. She bit her lip, lowered her eyelashes. 

“I…oh Janine…I…!” Egon groaned as she pounced on him, smothered him with a passionate kiss. 

“Well!” she broke off the kiss, blushing and grinning. Egon looked dazed, his smile bigger and his face even redder than before. “What do you say, huh?”

“I…honestly…don’t know what to say, or…how I feel…about…you,” Egon mumbled quietly, the words escaping him faster than he could stop to process them. 

Janine’s expression suddenly became less than pleased. She shifted away from him on the couch. “You don’t know how you feel about me?” she whispered, hurt.

“I…Janine, I like you very much,” Egon blurted, trying to soothe the moment. “I just don’t know if I feel anything more…right now…”

“Egon, I’ve been throwing myself at you for years!” Janine hissed, even more wounded. She folded her arms, looked away, moving her body farther away from him on the couch. 

“I do notice,” Egon tried to get her attention and love back. “I do! I just…get caught up in work!”

“Egon, all you ever fucking do is work!” Janine finally broke down at him. She stood, pacing the floor. “For over ten years I’ve been working with you, sharing and spending time with you, and giving you so much!” she started to cry. “And all you can say to me is you don’t know how you feel!”

“But…it’s true…!” Egon mumbled, just as hurt, but stowing his pain inside.

“How can you say that, when I want you to finally appreciate and acknowledge my presence!” Janine yelled. “When you have a chance to show me that you do care, you go off and tell me you don’t fucking know what you want, after all this time!”

“Janine…!” Egon protested. Janine stormed over to him, and glared at him.

“I was expecting you to man up for once, to show me that you care about me just as much as I care about you!” Janine fired back, infuriated now. “Egon…I might be a fool in saying this, but fuck it all! Egon, I love you!”

Egon was thunderstruck. He sat there, staring at the floor as if it would swallow him up. Janine, meanwhile, had stormed off into her bedroom, sobbing loudly after slamming the door.

Egon felt confused. He certainly didn’t mean to upset Janine, and didn’t realize that in coming upstairs to her apartment that it meant a confession of feelings or a possible liaison. He felt lost, and hurt by her reaction inasmuch as his own lack of a reaction to her clear declaration and behavior. 

“How am I going to fix this?” he whispered to himself, surprised to find his own tears falling now. “Why can’t I just say ‘I love you,too,’ like she does so easily?! The hell is wrong with me, indeed!”

Egon sat, rocking himself back and forth on the edge of her couch, as Janine did the same on the edge of her bed, sobbing more softly now, wiping her tears away.

“Janine, you’re a fucking idiot,” she swore to herself. “Of course he doesn’t love you, you’ve wasted your time. The hell was I thinking, getting my heart involved again?”

She started to cry again.

Egon wiped his own tears away, started to pace the room. He thought aloud, “Come on, come on…fix this. Fix this!” He quietly put Janine’s dishes into her sink, filling it up with warm water and soap.   
Janine heard the dishes being washed, and stopped crying for a moment. “He’s still here?” she thought aloud.

“Yeah,” he replied, not realizing it was a rhetorical question. “You gotta be better about putting your dishes away.”

“Oh, gee, thanks, Dad,” Janine hissed, rolling her eyes. She dabbed at them with a tissue, blew her nose.

“I will take the thank you and calling me dad as a compliment,” Egon explained aloud. Janine huffed, trying not to laugh. 

“You should go home, Egon,” she entered the room again, looking disheveled now. 

“Not until I fix this,” he mumbled to himself. 

“What?” Janine folded her arms, tilting her head. 

“Not until I fix this,” Egon argued, his voice getting louder.

“Fix what?!” Janine hissed, and then he suddenly embraced her and kissed her deeply and fully on the lips. Janine melted into his arms, and sighed deeply.

They stared at one another. “Janine…I’m sorry,” he mumbled but she silenced his apology with another kiss.

“Egon Spengler, you…!” Janine sighed, then laughed at long last. “You…”

“I what?” Egon grunted, confused again. 

“I think I know how you feel,” Janine put in at last. “I’m sorry for confusing you by having you come up here without an explanation. I just…thought you knew what you were doing with me by now!”

“I don’t know how I feel because I honestly don’t know how I am supposed to feel,” Egon explained. “I like being with you and being around you. A lot. And I have felt like that about you for ten years. Does this mean I love you?”

“It might,” Janine smiled softly, nestling into his chest. “It might, and that is okay.”

Egon ran his hand up her shoulders, feeling her tension escape, her sadness fading with his gentle touch. He rocked her back and forth while standing there, and she let out a contented sigh. 

“The guys might need the Ecto-1 back,” he mumbled after a few moments of blissful silence. 

“Eh, it is the weekend!” Janine looked up at him tenderly, the last of her tears drying. “How about you show me around town in style instead!”

“In the car we use for work?!” Egon cried, appalled at the suggestion. Janine giggled a little, trying to ease his fears. 

“I’ve always wanted to take a joyride with you, for shits and giggles!” she teased, her eyes lighting up. 

Egon blushed, thinking of the tease from the guys earlier. 

He adjusted his glasses, coughed into his elbow, ran a hand through his hair nervously. “Well…I uh…I suppose one ride in the Ecto-1 won’t hurt!”

“That’s the spirit!” Janine nuzzled him, stepping close to him again. “And feel free to ditch the tie and jacket…unless you think you’re gonna need ‘em?”

The suggestion made Egon smile at her warmly. “Hmmm…!”

“So you wanna take me up on my offer, huh?” Janine breathed huskily. Egon kissed her passionately, nipping on her lower lip and making her moan. 

“How about we go for a ride, then?” he whispered into her ear, making her squeal and squirm. He sighed, holding her close again. 

“Sure thing,” Janine nodded, and she smiled. “I’ve gotta get dressed and cleaned up…I’ll be right out!”

“Okay,” Egon agreed, still thinking of her in the nightgown. 

“Eyes up here,” she teased as he found himself staring at her breasts and then her ass. She lifted his chin and squinted at him. 

“You do look nice as you are…!” Egon tried to flirt. Janine laughed. 

“Egon, I’ve been bawling my eyes out and wearing this damn old skirt and sweaty top all day,” she sighed. “I look like shit, be honest!”

“I am being honest,” Egon mumbled as she departed for her room. “You look beautiful in anything, even when you’re upset with me…” he whispered into the door.

“That’s cute,” Janine teased right back. She sighed with relief as she removed her tight skirt, top and bra. She slid on a nice black lace one she reserved for nights out, and put on some deodorant and perfume. Egon smelled her perfume and rolled away from the door, sighing and fidgeting with his tie even more. 

“You really are trying to seduce me, Miss Melnitz,” he groaned, aware of his hard on and blushing hotly.

“Trying! Hah!” Janine laughed as she entered, in a knee length black dress that accentuated her curves well. She wore a denim shrug jacket and some simple silver jewelry. 

“Succeeding?” Egon squeaked. He was speechless, taking in her body as she wandered over to him and slunk past him, throwing him a wink as she bent down to retrieve her shoes. “Oh…oh my…”

“This is gonna be an awkward date if all you’re gonna do is gawk!” Janine walked over to him and pushed his shoes into his hands, which were trembling with excitement and anxiousness.

“Janine…!” he grunted, tempted to forget the whole outing and let his baser instincts take over, envisioning himself pinning her to the couch and pounding her brains out. “I uh…” he took in some deep shaking breaths, trying hard to control the creature inside him, to let it out when it was time. “I think you’re beautiful, honestly…and I…dunno where you wanna go!”

“Let’s drive around, see the sights, maybe stop by the American Museum, swing by Central Park, maybe try that new swanky Italian place!” Janine laughed, her glittery eyeshadow accenting her large eyelashes and beautiful eyes. She had swapped out her turquoise framed lenses for a pair of smart black ones, matching her new outfit perfectly. 

“Oh…oh…sure…!” he groaned, nodding quickly. Janine let out a loud laugh. 

“What!” she kissed him, her red lipstick smearing off a bit on his lips. “You nervous, or somethin’!”

“Nervous is an understatement,” he mumbled, and she bounced on her heels excitedly, groaning a little.

“Come on, let’s go!” she led him to her door. He followed, his heart racing. “You can even put on the siren, spook them good!”

“I don’t think that will be necessary, Janine,” Egon mumbled, watching her hips sway as she walked to the car.

He let her in on the passenger’s side, and then he got into the driver’s seat. He revved the engine, making Janine laugh again. 

“Egon?” she whispered as he drove through New York. 

“Yes, Janine?” he replied softly, despite driving like a maniac.

“Thank you,” she smiled. “You and the guys risk your lives with every bust…it means a lot to have you spend time with me, just because.”

“Well…time away is what we need, I suppose,” Egon nodded, smiling back. 

He leaned over and kissed her at a red light, the engine idling and the Ecto-1 taking on an orange cast to its white exterior as the sun set over Central Park.


End file.
